They’d better win that one. After that game it’s a brutal schedule.

Ozoneranger wrote:

Welcome to the tribe. My results were 65% Brit. Mostly Scot, really. I got 18% German-French, 12% Norwegian and 4% Irish, which explains my drinking problem.

I’m more of a mutt than you. I have 45% British but then I go to the rest of Europe, split between eastern and western Europe and some small percentages from other places. My son got his DNA from his mother AND me of course so his British was higher than mine. It’s cool stuff.

The defense really settled down and played a great game.

The offense still has things to work out but the pieces are clearly there.

Cooper made me nervous dropping punts a couple of times but it worked out okay.

They did not self destruct.

They did what they had to do to win. And that’s big coming off a tough loss. They have not strung two losses in a row and if you can avoid that you’ll do well.

Huge game this week. Must win. Schedule gets tougher after the bye week.

I have to be honest. I checked out of the game at half time. I just had a sick feeling about the whole thing. I kept checking scoring updates but beyond that I didn’t watch any football yesterday. It felt too much like last year and with all the crap wrong in the world right now I just didn’t want to endure that frustrating feeling.

I still feel it.

I’m trying not to think about football this week, I guess. The first four weeks were great–a wonderful distraction.

I just didn’t feel like sitting through this. Had they won I would have missed an amazing win–I know. But I’d still feel better today.

I doubt I’ll watch this game for awhile–if ever.

I hope they can bounce back next week.

If you had told me they’d be 3-2 at for the first five game I’m sure I would have taken it.

Where do they go from here? We will see.

I love books.

I used to hoard them but since I bought a Kindle–I hoard them electronically now. Still–I buy books from time to time because I like holding a book,

I do have about 40 magic books though. I’m no Harry Houdini but man do those things add up quick. I could easily buy 40 more. But I shouldn’t.

Goff will have to have his best game of the year, in my opinion. Seahawks will go all out to stop Gurley. I think they will MAKE Goff beat them through the air–and that’s no small feat. Seattle covers very well and Goff’s throws will have to be spot on because I don’t think the receivers will be wide open too many times.

That said, the Rams have the receivers to do good things against this defense.

Still, if the Rams score 35 points in this one I will go all-in on them having one of the best offenses in the league.

It’s always a heated battle so I expect a tough divisional slugfest.

If they CAN’T stop Gurley they have NO chance.

The defense still makes me cringe so I have no idea what to expect. But it may be up to them to decide who wins this one.

Rams are a 1 point favorite at home, the last I checked so that’s pretty much even.

I expect a close game and a key play here or there will decide it.

I’m not making a prediction this week. I honestly have no clue or feel about it. I’ll be interested in seeing how it goes.

Billy_T wrote:

Listening to various Republicans talk about why we can’t prevent this drives me up a wall. Their slavish devotion to a radically stupid interpretation of the 2nd Amendment — an archaic, totally unnecessary “right”, set up to protect the state FROM American citizens, especially slaves — is the true “anti-American” position.

They use the same argument now for climate change. Even if WE cut back on emissions other countries like China and India are increasing emissions. So….we shouldn’t hurt our economy to save the planet because others aren’t going to do that.

This has changed a bit from….there is no global warming.

Now it’s pretty much, so what? We can’t do anything about it.

Those talking points work with a large segment of Americans.

I agree zn.

That is the weirdest looking uniform I’ve ever seen. They look like the equipment manager woke up late with a hangover–grabbed some stuff and just tossed it to them. I get wanting to wear the white helmet. I like it. And yes–it’s okay with the white. But this is awful.

I can’t understand the NFL rules sometimes. Who cares if a team wants to change their uniform every year? What does it matter? With the move–they should have said: do what you want. This makes the NFL look bad. It’s just dumb.

wv, interesting story. Sad. Most people have no idea how the justice system works and the unfairness built into the system. I respect and appreciate what you do. It’s important work and I too can’t see how you do it all the time and have to witness the unfairness of it all. I know you truly care about these people.

Matt Taibbi has written an excellent book on the subject for anyone interested in reading further. He contrasts the rich person’s experience in court vs. the poor person’s. It was eye opening for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Divide-American-Injustice-Age-Wealth/dp/0812983637/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1506696442&sr=8-2&keywords=matt+taibbi+books

Trump has hated the NFL ever since he could not buy the Bills.

This, of course, has nothing to do with the flag and anthem, where Trump is concerned. It’s good politics for him.

Who is more American?

Are YOU a real American or do you hate our flag too?

If you ARE a real American you’d better be with Trump.

Trump is REAL America.

Vote Trump.

Praise Trump.

Hate anyone against him. Because he IS America.

And you do love your country–right?

The supporters dig in harder–and fence sitters are forced to choose and well…they do love the flag. They ARE American–real American.

So Puerto Rico is ignored.

The President’s legal legal troubles are ignored.

Health care failure is ignored.

This is all about America and that is the most important thing ever.

Trump is America. Where do you stand?

I’ll just weigh in on a couple of things. I’m not really looking to argue or debate because I just don’t have the energy for those back and forth arguments anymore. I’m just posting what I believe. I don’t think it’s really possible to change anyone’s mind anymore. We all live in our own bubbles with our own facts, so…though I like my bubble(and I try to think I step outside of it a bit)I am not trying to really convince anyone of anything anymore.

For people with hard ideological beliefs it just is mostly a waste of time. For example–the free market purists vs. the democratic socialists. We ain’t gonna agree on much. I just don’t like arguing about it much anymore. Anyway–I’m just going to throw out a couple of points and…as they say on the talk radio shows, “hang up and listen”.

I don’t know much about the gender issues. Frankly it isn’t my biggest concern or an issue that I give a lot of thought to and maybe I should. It just isn’t on my radar. I do believe in evolution. I do believe that the human body and of course the brain, can be a unique and that because I am a certain way, does not mean another human is the same way–even if we share certain parts. But I haven’t really dived deep into the subject.

The two things I’m most interested in is separation of church and state and health care.

I think that the court has sided, with good reason for separation of church and state in most cases. This is another subject I haven’t read about too deeply because the thought of a religious state horrifies me. Which religion do we use? The peaceful Muslim religion or the peaceful Christian religion which both have issues of questionable morals anyway. Of course Christians usually say to just skip over the uncomfortable parts in the Old Testament. I kind of have a hard time with that.

But anyway–yes, I kind of think the first amendment makes it clear–along with Jefferson’s quotes in The Danbury letter what was meant by it.

http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html

“Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists
The Final Letter, as Sent
To messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.
Gentlemen
The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.
Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802.

The other issue is health care.

Why is government health care bad? I mean–why is that a statement of fact? People like Medicare. people in other countries love their systems for the most part–with some exceptions. There is no system in the world that exists solely as a private system. Actually a lot of systems are government/private partnerships of one form or another. Even medicare supplements use private insurers. But there is no better cost cutter to outrageous medical fees than medicare. Private insurance doesn’t do that. Maybe it does to some small degree but in the end the costs are just passed on to you. Does fairness matter at all? If you can’t afford a million dollars after you’ve hit a lifetime cap, to pay for further treatment should you just die?

I may not be religious but I really don’t like that idea.

We CAN do better. There are many many forms possible of a single payer system. And no one is talking about a VA hospital type set up with government doctors. THAT’S true government run healthcare. But that’s not what anyone is talking about.

We can do better. We HAVE to do better.

The “free market” will never work with something like health care. I don’t have to buy a Corvette. I don’t have much of a choice if I need dialysis.

Anyway–I just wanted to toss that out there. Whatever they do they’d better figure out something to do about the cost or nothing will matter.

And apparently Kroenke is one of the five owners who gave Trump a million dollars for his campaign. He probably needs to distance himself from Trump’s statements as soon as possible. If he’s smart he will do it immediately. It will be interesting to see how the NFL players respond tomorrow.

Trump was speaking to HIS audience. It was red meat for their consumption because every month or two he needs to attend a rally to boost his ego because he isn’t quite mentally able to handle criticism and needs constant affirmation. So this is what he does. There is no thought behind it. As long as he gets applause he’s happy. The man disrespects veterans, could care less if anyone has healthcare, has no problems with the free expression of confederate flags or nazi flags but gets worked up about a guy kneeling during the national anthem? He is a phony and I can’t believe that some of his supporters can not see through this.

And he poisons everything he touches–including sports.

I hope every player takes a knee tomorrow. White, black, whatever.

I hear this argument from time to time that we must stand and salute the flag or during the anthem because soldiers died under it. We must show respect. Trump shows no respect. Trump cares only about the flags of green with dead presidents on it.

I stand for the national anthem. I place my hand over my heart. I face the flag.

I also respect the right of those who do not. To me, that’s what the flag that I respect is supposed to represent–that freedom.

There is no expression of hate in kneeling down.

Trump is all about division.

I am a veteran. I consider myself a lucky to live in this country–even with all of its problems. There is not another country I would choose to live in. This is it.

And if I were an NFL player–tomorrow I would join any of my teammates taking a knee.

And I would do it because I do respect the flag. And I believe in what it stands for.

And if that flag is not worthy of representing Americans expressing dissent in a peaceful form then it is not worthy of respect.

The president certainly is not.

Note: I’m not sure if this topic should be in the other forum considering the nature of the topic but it seems as though it straddles both sports and politics so I’m not sure it doesn’t belong here anyway.

In any case–either way–it’s so sad that it has to be a topic at all.

Yep. Watched that on Gamepass and it was at least 2 seconds after it hit zero that he kicked it. So that kick never should have happened anyway. All’s well that ends well, I guess.

Carlos Hyde is averaging about 7 yards a carry.

He’s a receiving machine out of the backfield.

If they shut him down–they win this game. If they do not–they lose.

Also–one other thing–they can’t make mistakes. Penalties, turnovers, etc. If they shut down Hyde but make those kind of mistakes–they lose.

They can win this game. They should win this game. But this is the NFL.

We’ll see.

No problem, zn.

On to San Francisco.